Williams fined over outbursts during final

Serena Williams was fined $17,000 (£13,100) for the code violations that included calling the umpire a "liar" and "thief" in her US Open final loss.

Williams, beaten by Naomi Osaka, was docked a game for verbal abuse and had a point penalty for racquet smashing and a code violation for coaching, reports BBC.

She later said it was "sexist" to have been penalised a game.

BBC tennis presenter Sue Barker said: "The umpire was following the rules by the book but Serena has a point." Barker, a former world number three and 1976 French Open champion, added that "tennis was the loser" from Saturday's events.

Williams' fine for the code violations, imposed by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), will be deducted from the $1.85 million the American won as the runner-up.

"I've sat courtside watching the men ranting at umpires and they haven't been given a violation," Barker said. "The fact that it was to be a game violation then robbed the crowd of what potentially could've been a third set."

Osaka, 20, won the match 6-2 6-4 to become the first Japanese Grand Slam champion. Williams, who was aiming to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, refused to shake hands with umpire Ramos after the match.

She later accused him of sexism, saying: "He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief'." Barker told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek programme: "Both have a point - Serena saying the male players can say what they want to umpires.

"Earlier in the tournament we saw Alize Cornet being given a code violation for changing her shirt on court and then in the same tournament Mohamed Lahyani gets down from his chair to talk to Nick Kyrgios and persuade him not to give up on a match.

"He [Ramos] was following the rules by the book but sometimes the book has to be rewritten.

"You can't have one rule for some players and some umpires don't adhere to it and allow players to get away with things. They've just got to be fair to the players.

"Tennis was the loser and we lost what was potentially a fantastic match. "I've never seen anything like it since I have been watching tennis. It was sad for the game."